In this blog post I will give you some information about Lithuanians’ health and Lithuanian health care system. Sadly these facts are not very optimistic… Lithuania has the lowest rate of residents living healthy way of life in European Union (EU). The results of our unhealthy way of life are reflected in following statistics:
- Lithuania has the highest mortality rate in EU – 1034 mortalities for 100000 residents. The average of EU is 696 mortalities for 100000 residents.
- Average life duration of men in EU is the lowest in Lithuania - 65,1 years. The average of EU is 74,3. And the average life duration of Lithuanian women is 77,2 years. It is 4th worst rate in EU. The average women life duration in EU is 80,8 years.
- Lithuania is in 1st place in Europe by deaths caused by heart diseases and among the leaders by deaths caused by cancer.
- Lithuanians have more harmful habits than other European nations. 26,5% residents of Lithuania smoke, in Europe this rate is 24,2%.
- Lithuanians and residents of other Baltic states (Latvia and Estonia) drink most alcohol in EU. Every Lithuanian older than 15 years old drink 12,5 litres of alcohol a year. Some sources give even higher number – 14 litres. If we include contraband alcohol, the number will be about 20 litres. The average of EU is 10,8 litres. Lithuanians mostly drink vodka (in winter) and beer (in summer).
- Lithuania is among leaders in the world by the number of doctors for 1000 residents. But in the future Lithuania will have shortage of doctors because of emigration and old age of doctors working now.
- Lithuanians think health care system in Lithuania is one of the worst in EU. It does not meet patients’ expectation, treatment and medicines are hardly accessible and the results of treatment are not satisfying. (I feel I have to give you explanation about this information. It reflects the opinion of interviewed people – opinion, not facts. And we are very pessimistic nation. So if we say that something is very bad we usually mean not very good…)
2 comments:
yes, Lithuanians very pessimistic. World Economic Forum recently put Lithuania health care infrastructure among the three best in the world (Honkong and Austria are others). http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TravelTourismCompetitiveness_Report_2011.pdf
No way! Health care in Lithuania is not among the best in the world! I cannot believe that situation with health care is so bad in the world! :D Maybe official information, statistics, etc. show Lithuania very positively, but if you ask patients, they can tell you many things that are not declared loud...
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